Destroyer
04-26-2011, 12:09 PM
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April 21, 2011
By Capt. Ed Berger:
I can't do a report without shouting as loud as I can that there is a NEW WORLD RECORD FROM OUR AREA! My buddy Tommy Merighi's 14 year old daughter, Juliana, had her 58.29-pound striper certified by the IGFA last week and she is now the Junior Female World Record holder. If you want to get jealous, like I am, the mount is hanging in the family business, Merighi's Savoy Inn, in Vineland. Stop by and take a look. Juliana has been fishing with her Dad since she was 5, and weighed in the monster at Off The Hook Bait & Tackle in Cape May.
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l111/Destroyer511/NJ20Record20Striper.jpg
As you can see, us New Jersey folk get a few large fish also.... <grin>
Ok, lets get down to business…. Starting up North and working our way down… sort of…., has folks up at Dow's in Lake Hoptatcong still trolling for trout using small Rapalas and spinners. Sticking to shallower/warmer water seems to make a difference. A 9-pound, 8-ounce hybrid striper was taken by Tyler Lambert over in the Brady Bridge vicinity. A couple walleye have also jumped a hook, but remember the season up there is not open again until May 1st.
Tom at Giglio's in Sea Bright is weighing in some nice, fat flounder from bottom plungers in the Shrewsbury River fishing bloodworms. Most of the guys have really started working on their striper fishing. Bass in the 10 to 15-pound range have hit the scales with guys using mostly clam. Some of the local kids chasing trout in the sweetwater have weighed in a couple nice fish that hit Thomas lures. I am a Phoebe guy myself, but whatever works for you.
Dave up at The Reel Seat in Brielle let us know that the flounder fishing up in North Barnegat is yielding some good catches, and those guys drowning clams off the beach are starting to see a little striper action as well. The fuse is lit but nothing is blowing up yet. There have been some spotty reports that the Mudhole is still a go-to for cod and if you really want blackfish, you are going to have to take a boat ride outside.
Ron up at Fisherman's Supply in Pt. Pleasant is still talking about how good the flounder fishing has been on bloods. Not only numbers, but size too. If fat flatties in a frying pan don't make you want fish, I don't know what will. The stripers are making a showing on the beach up near Sandy Hook and Spring Lake, but if this is your area you should be hitting Raritan Bay. The bunker are in there, and that means it is game time. Snag some or bust out those Stretch 25's you switched the hardware on over the winter when you were staring at the snow.
Lots of news from Chris at Harry's Army Navy in Robbinsville. The Delaware River up to Scutter Falls is lit up with stripers munching on herring and the right plugs. You should probably throw a Black Yo-Zuri Mag Darter in your bag if you are headed that way. They have also had a couple guys stop in on their way back from IBSP with good news. The trout fishing has slowed some inland, mostly due to the rain run-off, but some of those that are catching are talking about success with Yo-Zuri PINS Minnows as well as traditional baits. The spring bass action is on up in Assunpink as well as over in Prospertown. Catch a warm day, catch a bass.
As Tom from Grumpy's Tackle in Seaside Park so delicately put it: "Put down you *bleeping* phones, turn off your *bleeping* laptops, get off your butt and get out there!" That's what Jackie & Vinnie Bergamos are doing and that why they keep weighing in keeper bass. A bag of fresh clams and a little motivation trumps too much strategy this time of year.
As the clock continues to tick down on the end of the "real" tog season, reports are starting to come in that they have indeed started moving in from out front in some places. But that does not mean that trip outside will not show results. Capt Adam Nowalski ran a 5 man charter out last week on the Karen Ann II to hit some wrecks and reefs and put 40 fish in the boat… 13 were keeper tog with a 4 cod bonus with the biggest blackfish weighing in over 5 pounds. It's crab and clam that's doing it to no one's surprise. Capt. Adam knows how to wreck it. Fisherman's Headquarters in Ship Bottom dialed us in the scoop and has all kinds of fresh for your hooks.
Tackle Direct in Somers Point reports that a few of the big bass are starting to move down the river with news of a couple of decent catches within sight of the Beesley's Point Power Plant. There has been a pretty decent up river bite going on if you are lucky enough to grab a few herring, but so few guys are trying with the reduced bait limit that information has been kind of spotty. The boys have had the frying pans sizzling for the last couple weeks after pounding the perch in the sweetwater with bloodworms and grass shrimp.
There has been some bass action in Corson's according to Bill over at Fin-atics in Ocean City. They are being picky and going for the bloodworms. Not much from the clam chuckers out front. A few decent tog have hit the scales from some of the worst kept secret spots in the same area. Crabs or little clam baits have been doing it.
Chuck down at Off The Hook in Cape May weighed in a nice 30-pound black drum last week caught on Hank's Golden Dream. Hank was hanging clams out near Tussies where they have also had some decent striper action. Word is most of the really big girls are still up the river.
Best Bets for the Weekend
Trout fishing seems to be going strong through most of the state's stocked sweetwaters. Small stickbaits and metal spoons are doing the trick.
The top striper bite is taking place in the Delaware River, but remember why those fish are there – to spawn. Gently release each fish and use tackle that gets the fish to the boat quickly without exhausting them.
Flounder fishing is still a good bet for anglers seeking fillets, and tautog action is looking good going into the last week of the season.
Stay Tuna-ed! :beer:
April 21, 2011
By Capt. Ed Berger:
I can't do a report without shouting as loud as I can that there is a NEW WORLD RECORD FROM OUR AREA! My buddy Tommy Merighi's 14 year old daughter, Juliana, had her 58.29-pound striper certified by the IGFA last week and she is now the Junior Female World Record holder. If you want to get jealous, like I am, the mount is hanging in the family business, Merighi's Savoy Inn, in Vineland. Stop by and take a look. Juliana has been fishing with her Dad since she was 5, and weighed in the monster at Off The Hook Bait & Tackle in Cape May.
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l111/Destroyer511/NJ20Record20Striper.jpg
As you can see, us New Jersey folk get a few large fish also.... <grin>
Ok, lets get down to business…. Starting up North and working our way down… sort of…., has folks up at Dow's in Lake Hoptatcong still trolling for trout using small Rapalas and spinners. Sticking to shallower/warmer water seems to make a difference. A 9-pound, 8-ounce hybrid striper was taken by Tyler Lambert over in the Brady Bridge vicinity. A couple walleye have also jumped a hook, but remember the season up there is not open again until May 1st.
Tom at Giglio's in Sea Bright is weighing in some nice, fat flounder from bottom plungers in the Shrewsbury River fishing bloodworms. Most of the guys have really started working on their striper fishing. Bass in the 10 to 15-pound range have hit the scales with guys using mostly clam. Some of the local kids chasing trout in the sweetwater have weighed in a couple nice fish that hit Thomas lures. I am a Phoebe guy myself, but whatever works for you.
Dave up at The Reel Seat in Brielle let us know that the flounder fishing up in North Barnegat is yielding some good catches, and those guys drowning clams off the beach are starting to see a little striper action as well. The fuse is lit but nothing is blowing up yet. There have been some spotty reports that the Mudhole is still a go-to for cod and if you really want blackfish, you are going to have to take a boat ride outside.
Ron up at Fisherman's Supply in Pt. Pleasant is still talking about how good the flounder fishing has been on bloods. Not only numbers, but size too. If fat flatties in a frying pan don't make you want fish, I don't know what will. The stripers are making a showing on the beach up near Sandy Hook and Spring Lake, but if this is your area you should be hitting Raritan Bay. The bunker are in there, and that means it is game time. Snag some or bust out those Stretch 25's you switched the hardware on over the winter when you were staring at the snow.
Lots of news from Chris at Harry's Army Navy in Robbinsville. The Delaware River up to Scutter Falls is lit up with stripers munching on herring and the right plugs. You should probably throw a Black Yo-Zuri Mag Darter in your bag if you are headed that way. They have also had a couple guys stop in on their way back from IBSP with good news. The trout fishing has slowed some inland, mostly due to the rain run-off, but some of those that are catching are talking about success with Yo-Zuri PINS Minnows as well as traditional baits. The spring bass action is on up in Assunpink as well as over in Prospertown. Catch a warm day, catch a bass.
As Tom from Grumpy's Tackle in Seaside Park so delicately put it: "Put down you *bleeping* phones, turn off your *bleeping* laptops, get off your butt and get out there!" That's what Jackie & Vinnie Bergamos are doing and that why they keep weighing in keeper bass. A bag of fresh clams and a little motivation trumps too much strategy this time of year.
As the clock continues to tick down on the end of the "real" tog season, reports are starting to come in that they have indeed started moving in from out front in some places. But that does not mean that trip outside will not show results. Capt Adam Nowalski ran a 5 man charter out last week on the Karen Ann II to hit some wrecks and reefs and put 40 fish in the boat… 13 were keeper tog with a 4 cod bonus with the biggest blackfish weighing in over 5 pounds. It's crab and clam that's doing it to no one's surprise. Capt. Adam knows how to wreck it. Fisherman's Headquarters in Ship Bottom dialed us in the scoop and has all kinds of fresh for your hooks.
Tackle Direct in Somers Point reports that a few of the big bass are starting to move down the river with news of a couple of decent catches within sight of the Beesley's Point Power Plant. There has been a pretty decent up river bite going on if you are lucky enough to grab a few herring, but so few guys are trying with the reduced bait limit that information has been kind of spotty. The boys have had the frying pans sizzling for the last couple weeks after pounding the perch in the sweetwater with bloodworms and grass shrimp.
There has been some bass action in Corson's according to Bill over at Fin-atics in Ocean City. They are being picky and going for the bloodworms. Not much from the clam chuckers out front. A few decent tog have hit the scales from some of the worst kept secret spots in the same area. Crabs or little clam baits have been doing it.
Chuck down at Off The Hook in Cape May weighed in a nice 30-pound black drum last week caught on Hank's Golden Dream. Hank was hanging clams out near Tussies where they have also had some decent striper action. Word is most of the really big girls are still up the river.
Best Bets for the Weekend
Trout fishing seems to be going strong through most of the state's stocked sweetwaters. Small stickbaits and metal spoons are doing the trick.
The top striper bite is taking place in the Delaware River, but remember why those fish are there – to spawn. Gently release each fish and use tackle that gets the fish to the boat quickly without exhausting them.
Flounder fishing is still a good bet for anglers seeking fillets, and tautog action is looking good going into the last week of the season.
Stay Tuna-ed! :beer: